BUFFALO LOGIC COLLOQUIUM
2007-8 THIRTY-EIGHTH YEAR
SECOND SUMMER ANNOUNCEMENT
QUOTE OF THE MONTH: BOOLE ON INTUITION VERSUS DEDUCTION: It is one thing to
arrive at correct premises, and another to deduce logical conclusions; ...
the business of life depends more on the former than upon the latter. 
Boole 1847, 14. Is this like saying that ingesting is more important than
digesting? Wouldnt it be close to useless to know true premises unless you
could deduce their consequences? Try it out. If you could not deduce
consequences, you might know that all animals are mortal without knowing
that it applies to you. Anyway, Boole did not see fit to repeat this gem in
his next book, the 1854 Laws of Thought.  Frango Nabrasa.
FOURTH MEETING
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
12:00-1:30 P.M.
141 Park Hall
PANEL: Leonard Jacuzzo (Fredonia State University), Thomas Reber (Canisius
College), John Zeis (Canisius College), and John Corcoran (UB).
TITLE: Teaching Logic.
ABSTRACT: This is the third in a series of panels on the teaching of logic.
Each member of a panel of logic teachers will give a ten-minute presentation
of a message about teaching logic followed by ten minutes of open
discussion. Among the topics that are under consideration are: the goals of
logic, what to say the first day, the role of paradigm cases, the role of
rhetoric, the role of fallacies, the role of history, the best non-logical
content to use in introductory courses, number theory, alternative logics,
existential import, identity logic, logic textbooks, which system of logic
should be taught first. All logic teachers are invited to volunteer to be on
a future panel. As soon as there are two volunteers, a panel will be
scheduled.
FIFTH MEETING
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
12:00-1:30 P.M.
141 Park Hall
SPEAKER: John Corcoran Philosophy, University of Buffalo.
TITLE: Tarskis Demonstrative Logic: A Review.
ABSTRACT: This meeting is an informal reading and discussion of Tarskis
demonstrative logic. It is based on Tarskis classic expository paper Truth
and Proof, especially the first two or three pages of section 2 The Notion
of Proof. Like the Tarski paper it is based on, it is intended for a broad
audience including non-specialists. Demonstrative logic is the study of
demonstration as opposed to persuasion. It presupposes the Socratic
knowledge/belief distinction  between beliefs that are known (or that have
been cognitively established) and those that are not known (or that have not
been cognitively established even though perhaps true). Tarskis view is
remarkable similar to Aristotles truth-and consequence conception set forth
by Aristotle over two thousand years ago. Originally appearing in 1969 in
Scientific American, Tarskis paper is reprinted on pages 101-125 of Hughes,
R. 1993. Philosophical Companion to First-order Logic. Indianapolis:
Hackett.
Future Colloquium Speakers: George Boger (Canisius College), Leonard Jacuzzo
(Fredonia State University), Daniel Merrill (Oberlin College) November 2,
Thomas Reber (Canisius College), Stewart Shapiro (Ohio State University)
October 13, Barry Smith (University of Buffalo), John Zeis (Canisius
College).
Future Colloquium Dates: September 14, October 5, 13, and 19, November 2.
THESE ARE BROWN-BAG MEETINGS. COME WHEN YOU ARE FREE. BRING LUNCH. LEAVE
WHEN YOU HAVE TO. IF YOU NEED TO LEAVE YOUR PHONE ON, PLEASE SET IT TO
VIBRATE AND SIT NEAR THE REAR DOOR. ALL ARE WELCOME.
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John Corcoran. For further information, to report glitches, suggest a talk,
unsubscribe, or make other suggestions, please email: John Corcoran:
corcoran at buffalo.edu
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